Canon working on 16-60mm f/2-5 for mirrorless cameras (APS-C sensor), patent suggests

mirrorless cameras
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Canon patent application in Japan (2018-106021) for a 16-60mm f/2-5 lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. The f-range is a bit weird and unusual for the industry.

  • Focal length: 15.42 – 58.00 mm (zoom ratio: 3.76)
  • F No.: 2.06 – 5.00
  • Half angle of view: 38.07 – 13.04
  • Back focus: 8.81 – 2.81 mm
  • Lens length: 82.23 – 103.33 mm

Could this be a future kit lens? A bit slow on the tele end, though.

More Canon patent applications are listed here. Some particularly interesting patent applications we think might get into production in the next few years are these:

[via Hi Lows Note]

Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF lens Review (not perfect but great to use, ePhotozine)

Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF
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Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
  • One Hybrid Aspherical Element
  • Ultra Multi-Coating
  • Ultrasonic Dual Linear AF Motor
  • Round Nine-Blade Diaphragm

ePhotozine reviewed the new Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF lens.

There is a lot the reviewers like in the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4: sharpness, low CA and flare, fast and quick auto-focus, and a very good build quality.

From their conclusion:

The Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF is a great lens to use, not perfect in that there are some AF issues close up and also quite a bit of edge CA, but overall a good solid performing lens at a very attractive price.

In the end, it’s the results that count and the ease of use of the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 lens lends itself to producing some excellent photography. Without a doubt, it can be recommended. Plus, Samyang has said the AF close-focus issues will be resolved in a firmware update that will be applied to all production lenses before they ship in early July. Read the review…

The Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF has a very compact size and is light, compared to Canon’s EF 85mm f/1.4L IS and Sigma’s 85mm f/1.4 ART lenses.

Pre-orders are open in the US for $749 at B&H Photo | Adorama.

In the UK, Park Cameras has the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 EF in stock. In Germany, Amazon DE ships the new Samyang.

Canon EOS M50 best selling mirrorless camera in Japan (BNC Ranking)

Canon eos m50 mark ii
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Canon EOS M50 at a glance:

  • 24.1MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 8 Image Processor
  • 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3.0″ Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • UHD 4K and HD 720p120 Video Recording
  • Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC, Bluetooth
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • ISO 100-25600, Extended ISO 51200
  • Combination 5-Axis Image Stabilization

BNC posted their market statistics for the month of June 2018.

It turns out the Canon EOS M50 (Kiss M in Asia) is the best selling mirrorless camera in Japan. Same as last month.

canon eos m50

Among the first 10 cameras, 7 are Canon (the others are Nikon cams). Not bad for a company so heavily criticised and said to be close to extinction.

The EOS M50 is a cute little MILC, getting one positive review after the other. The Canon EOS M50 got a price drop and now starts at $629 for the body only.

Canon EOS M50

[shoplist 49349]

How to make a camera out of a potato (no kidding)

camera out of a potato
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Sounds weird? It is.

Niko of Corridor Crew made a working camera out of a potato. The camera works, though image quality is not on EOS 5D Mark IV level.

Maybe you’re looking for a somewhat different weekend project. Here it is. The 14 minutes video below tells you everything, and it’s funny to watch. Enjoy.

[via DIY Photography]

Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD Review (DPReview)

Tamron 70-210mm f/4 DI VC USD
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Tamron 70-210mm f/4 VC USD at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/4 to f/32
  • Ultrasonic Silent Drive Autofocus Motor
  • VC Image Stabilization
  • Fluorine-Coated Front Element
  • Moisture-Resistant Construction
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
  • Compatible with TAP-in Console

DPReview tested the new Tamron 70-210mm f/4 VC USD, a relatively inexpensive option in this zoom range.

From their conclusion:

The Tamron 70-210mm F4 is a great telephoto lens option with relatively few shortcomings considering its reasonable price point. Its optical performance should represent a meaningful upgrade for those using entry-level 55-200mm or 55-250mm kit zooms, and the F4 aperture saves weight and expense compared to constant F2.8 aperture alternatives.

[…]

Our direct comparison with the Canon 70-200mm F4L II IS shows that lens to be a generally better performer, especially wide-open. But in our experience the Tamron balances well on more entry-level cameras, the autofocus kept up just fine with everything we threw at it, and if you take the time to shoot Raw, the lack of in-camera optical corrections is neither here nor there. Read the review…

Another quite positive review for the Tamron 70-210mm f/4 VC USD. It may not be able to compete with Canon’s “L” glass but it appears to deliver bang for the bucks.

Tamron 70-210mm f/4 VC USD

[shoplist 50511]

Latest CIPA Report shows no change in consumer trends

cipa report
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The latest CIPA report (May 2018) shows that there is no change in consumer habits.

  1. Compact camera sales are still dropping compared to the previous years
  2. System Camera sales are on par with previous years

It might mean that we probably bottomed out the System Camera down-trend from the past years. This are the good news. The bad news are that compact cameras are going close to extinction as a product. Guess this is also because of smartphone being everywhere, and becoming useful photographic tools.

[via Mirrorless Rumors]